About this Product

The creation of a Confederate ironclad fleet was a miracle of ingenuity, improvisation and logistics. Surrounded by a superior enemy fleet, Confederate designers adapted existing vessels or created new ones from the keel up with the sole purpose of breaking the naval stranglehold on the nascent country. Her ironclads were build in remote cornfields, on small inland rivers or in naval yards within sight of the enemy. The result was an unorthodox but remarkable collection of vessels, which were able to contest the rivers and coastal waters of the South for five years. This title explains how these vessels worked, how they were constructed, how they were manned and how they fought.

Biographical Note

Angus Konstam is an experienced Osprey author with over 10 titles in print. He has long been associated with the sea, having served in the Royal Navy, practised underwater archaeology and curated a maritime museum. His understanding of the subject is based on years of study of maritime history, and intimate knowledge of the leading maritime museums on both sides of the Atlantic.Tony Bryan is a freelance illustrator of many years experience after initially qualifying in Engineering and working for a number of years in Military Research and Development. Tony has a keen interest in military hardware - armour, small arms, aircraft and ships - and has produced many illustrations for partworks, magazines and books, including a number of titles in the New Vanguard series.

Contents

Introduction Creation of a fleet Ironclad designs The European option Shipbuilding The Ironclad's role Officers and men Ordnance Life on board Tactics The Confederate Ironclads Bibliography Color plate commentary Index